Helping Nakama
by bleachfan170
Summary: After reuniting with each other after two years of training, the Straw Hat Pirates starts to head towards Merman Island. Though, lately, Luffy's been getting nightmares and everything about him changes. How would the crew help him to be himself again?
1. Chapter 1

**Helping Nakama**

Disclaimer: I do not own One Piece.

**Chapter 1: Reunion at Sabaody Archipelago and the Nightmares**

It's a sunny afternoon and a certain rubbery captain was waiting on a certain ship waiting for his nakama. After 2 years of training with Rayleigh, Luffy made it back and waiting on the Thousand Sunny for his crew. "Man, where are they?" Luffy complained to himself, impatient, "It's been two years already. They should be back by now." He just laid on top of Sunny's head. About an hour passed by and then Luffy sensed a familiar presence, thanks to his Haki abilities, heading towards the ship. "Hey, Luffy!" a familiar voice called, "Are you there?" Luffy, then, sat up and saw that it was Zoro. "I'm up here, Zoro!" he called back.

Luffy, then, jumped down right in front of Zoro. "Long time, no see, Captain," Zoro said, giving Luffy a strong, firm handshake. "LUFFY! ZORO!" several more voices called. Nami, Usopp, and Chopper were running towards them. "Nami! Usopp! Chopper!" Luffy called. As soon as the three reached them, they gave both Captain and First Mate a tight, teary hug.

"Nami-swan!" It was obvious that it was Sanji that was calling, mainly, Nami. He and Robin were heading towards them. "Sanji! Robin!" Luffy yelled in excitement. "Don't forget us!" Franky and Brook called. "Franky! Brook!" Luffy greeted his last two nakama.

As soon as the crew finally reunited, they each shared their adventures on the island that Kuma had sent them to two years ago. "You know," Luffy started, "Something seems off here. I mean, think about it. The places that Kuma had sent us flying to actually helped us become even more stronger in our own way. It seems like he's helping us prepare for the New World and other things to come." "Well," Robin said, "I've heard from your father that he knows him. He helps both Dragon and the Revolutionaries by spying on the Government. So, maybe, not only is he helping us prepare for the New World, but to, also, defeat the Government's offenses, like the 3 admirals, just in case." "Well, it seems like we have the upper hand," Zoro stated, "I mean, thanks to Luffy, we have 3 of the 7 Shichibukai on our side when we need them."

"I was wondering how you were able to get 3 of the 7 most powerful pirates to be on our side, anyways, Luffy?" Luffy just gave her a pained look. "Um, Nami," Robin whispered, "I don't think that he wants to be reminded about what happened then." Nami just gave her a confused look, but then she knew what she was talking about. "Oh," she said as realization hits, "I'm sorry, Luffy. I didn't mea-" "It's alright," Luffy interupted, "I know that it's not your fault." Everybody looked at them in confusion. "I'll explain things later," Robin said, making sure Luffy didn't quite hear her. "Anyways," the very optimistic captain continued, "let's have a party for our reunion!" The whole crew cheered in agreement. They celebrated day in and day out, non-stop.

*Few days later* "Wow," Usopp said, exausted, " that was the longest party we had ever threw." Everybody agreed. They, then, went into their rooms, which they haven't entered in 2 long years. *That night, Luffy's dream* "Ugh, where am I?" Luffy said in confusion. "Luffy!" a voice called. "Ace, is that you?" "Luffy, look out!" Ace was then hit by the lava guy's punch. "ACE!" Luffy shouted. "Luffy," Ace said, weakly, "I'm sorry, I don't think that I'll make it this time." Luffy was, then, starting to cry. "I'm sorry that I won't be able to see you fulfill your dream of becoming the Pirate King. But there is one thing that I would like to say to you." "What is it, Ace?" Luffy asked as the tears rolled down his cheeks. "Thanks for being a great little bro. Good-bye, Luffy." Just then, Ace disappeared from Luffy's arms. "Ace?"

*Back in reality* "NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" Luffy screamed, waking everybody on the ship up. "What is it? What's wrong, Luffy?" Chopper asked worriedly. Both Nami and Robin, then, entered the room to see what the commotion's about. "What's wrong with Luffy?" Nami asked. Luffy was gasping and was covered in sweat. "We don't know," Sanji replied, "he just woke up like this, screaming."

"Luffy, are you okay," Nami asked him with a worried expression. The whole crew were just as worried. "I'm okay," he lied reassuringly, "it was just a bad dream." They all looked at him in disbelief. "I'm sorry I woke you guys up," he appoligized, "I'm sure it won't happen 's go back to sleep, okay?" Everyone looked at him with an even more worried expression, but Luffy smiled at them reassuringly, though it wasn't his usual goofy grin that they all knew, loved, and missed these past 2 years. They, then, let it slide and went back to bed. 'Man,' Luffy thought, 'I hope I won't have that nightmare again.' He then went back to sleep.

**Wow, that was a pretty good start for my first story.**

**I practically cried during Luffy's flashback on Ace's death. I even cried while reading that chapter in One Piece. I've, also, just read Chapter 598: 2 Years Later. It was a really good start for the start for the second half of the series. I can't wait for the Straw Hat Pirates to actually reunite with one another. I'm practically growing anxiety just waiting for the next chapter. **

**Anyways, R & R, please. :D**


	2. Chapter 2

**Helping Nakama**

Disclaimer: I do not own One Piece.

**Chapter 2: Something's Not Right Here**

*The next morning* Everybody went down for breakfast, feeling tired from both the party and Luffy's panic attacks in the middle of the night. Everybody ate their breakfast normally, a bit too normal than usual. Luffy just sat there, eating his breakfast only and not stealing anyone else's like he used to. The crew looked at him and then at each other, wondering if he's okay. Right after breakfast, the crew decided to go shopping for supplies. "Hey, Luffy!" Zoro called, "You coming?" "Nah," Luffy answered, "I'll just stay here to keep watch. I'll catch up to you guys later, okay?" Everybody just looked at him and Zoro just shrugged. "Suit yourself," he said. The crew, then, left without him. "Something's not right here," Usopp said, "I mean, ever since we reunited with one another, Luffy hasn't been acting like himself." "Both his appitite and his mood has completely changed," Zoro added,"I wonder what's going on in that head of his." "Well, whatever it is, I hope it stops," Sanji said. "I might know what's going on with Captain-san," Robin said. "What is it, Robin?" Chopper asked. "Do you guys remember Ace back in Alabasta?" Everybody but Franky and Brook nooded. "Ace is Luffy's older brother," Nami expained, "anyways, two years ago, there was a war between the Whitebeard Pirates and Marineford." "So what doesany of that have to do with Ace?" Zoro asked. "Because," Robin said, "the marines wanted to start war with them for some unknown reason. And the only way to do that is byt capturing one of his crewmates." "And, in this case, it's Ace?" Franky askes. "Exactly," Nami answered, "once they captured Ace, they, then, set up an execution date sometime after."

Everybody looked at her in shock. "So, then what happened?" Usopp encouraged them to go on. "They didn't happen right away, though," Robin went on, "they scheduled it probably a month or two after his capture." "And I'm guessing Luffy somehow found out about it sometime after our seperation?" Brook asked. "Maybe," Nami said, "Luffy, then, tried to break him out of Impel Town but, once he got to his cell, he was gone. So he and some of our old enemies sailed towards Marineford and, by the time they got there, a war started to break out." "Was Luffy able to save him from the execution?" Sanji asked. "Well the rescue was a success at first," Robin said, "but then one of the admirals started to aim his attack on Luffy, and Ace got in the way, just to protect him. Ace died right in Luffy's arms."

Everybody's eyes widen in shock. "Poor Luffy," Chopper said, "I mean, having his only brother die right in front of him." "But why didn't he say anything to us," Zoro said, "I mean, we're his nakama." "Well there are things that we don't want to share," Nami explained, "even to nakama. Hey, even I didn't tell you my past until Nojiko did back in Coco Village." "You got a point there, Nami," Usopp said. "The only question left out there is how long he's been this way," Sanji added, "I mean, things like this can possibly get worse within time." "We can ask Rayleigh," Nami suggested, "he was the one who trained him these past two years. Maybe he knows something that we don't." They all agreed. And so they started to head towards Rayleigh's place.

**Yay! Chapter 2 has been completed. I'm so glad that the whole crew has been finally reunited after two years in Chapter 602 and 603 is pretty good as well. Wonder what will happen to the crew next chapter and what would happen when the two new Supernovas catch up to them. The intense is killing. lol. R & R please :D**


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